America West and US Airways Announce Changes to Expanded Frequent Flyer Programs
Sep 26, 2005, 4:14 pm
#16
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: here and there
Programs: UA Silver, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Avis CHM
Posts: 1,505
Originally Posted by martin33
not only that, but contrary to the last "reassuring" spokesman interview, miles earned prior to October 5th in the separate programs will not be combined for '06 elite calculation purposes.
-- Miles and segments flown on flights operated by both America West and US Airways for all of 2005 will count toward Preferred or Elite status.
Sep 26, 2005, 4:37 pm
#19
Moderator: American AAdvantage & Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: PHX
Programs: American ExPlat; Marriott/SPG Lifetime Plat; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 8,116
Originally Posted by shell nyc
Actually I think they will:
-- Miles and segments flown on flights operated by both America West and US Airways for all of 2005 will count toward Preferred or Elite status.
-- Miles and segments flown on flights operated by both America West and US Airways for all of 2005 will count toward Preferred or Elite status.
Sep 26, 2005, 4:50 pm
#20
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: here and there
Programs: UA Silver, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Avis CHM
Posts: 1,505
Originally Posted by AZ Travels the World
Where did you find this? Can you post a link to the page? Thanks!
No problem...it's in the link in the OP of this thread, in the bulleted list just before the Qualifications and Benefits table.
Sep 26, 2005, 5:34 pm
#21
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP MM, HHonors Lifetime Diamond, Marriott Lifetime Ti, UA Silver
Posts: 5,036
This is a major kick in the backside for US golds. It makes most other airline's FF program rewards at the 50k EQM threshold much more attractive - more rewards for less flying.
I had been thinking of pushing most of my flying back to US next year. I don't think I'm going to qualify for CP or 1k next year, so with these changes I'm starting to think I'd be better off getting Prem Exec on UA instead.
I had been thinking of pushing most of my flying back to US next year. I don't think I'm going to qualify for CP or 1k next year, so with these changes I'm starting to think I'd be better off getting Prem Exec on UA instead.
Last edited by PHLGovFlyer; Sep 26, 2005 at 5:36 pm
Sep 26, 2005, 5:48 pm
#22
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 42
Help With EQM
Originally Posted by PHLDividends
Don't know if anyone else has been wondering, but I called the GP desk and got an answer to the question that was bothering me -- whether you will need 120 segments this year for CP or just 100, like in the past. According to GP desk, "the merger is effective November 15, so if you're already working towards 100 segments this year and get 100 by the end of the year, CP will be good through Feb. 2007." But to qualify through Feb. 2008, you'd have to get 120 segments next year. Nice to get an easy answer from customer service! 
Also the CHP increase to 120 segments is effective on 1/1/06 next year.
Sep 26, 2005, 6:33 pm
#24
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: US CP, *wood Gold, Marriott gold, Hilton something
Posts: 1,458
Originally Posted by chowder
CP segments up from 100 to 120
GP bonus down from 100% to 50%
GP bonus down from 100% to 50%
I think the only negative about CP is once you have it, it would be hard to live with out!
Anyway, just echoing the
Edited to add:
The more I read and the more I think about this, it seems that gold (which I'll most likely be after feb 07) is relegated to basically Silver and that silver is basically worthless. Having plats just means that one more group will clear before golds... I could understand having a plat level during the transition but are there any other programs with 4 levels?
Last edited by SpaceBass; Sep 26, 2005 at 6:42 pm
Sep 26, 2005, 6:50 pm
#25
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: CLT
Programs: US CP, SPG Gold
Posts: 592
As a GP who would do about 60k miles a year, I guess I'm not really happy about this new stuff. In fact it looks like GPs take the brunt of the suffering.
The most important thing to me--unlimited upgrades 3 days in advance s/a--remains, but it seems like the entire list of other benefits has been reduced:
--my bonus mileage is HALVED from 100 to 50%. That's pretty serious, actually. HALVED.
--I can't get a 20K award, which I use really often in fact. Everything is 25k.
--I also enjoyed cheap Bermuda awards which aren't to be anymore. 30k still isn't bad, but when my bonus mileage is HALVED at the same time the award thresholds are raised, the net effect is a significant loss.
--there will be two tiers ahead of me instead of just one. It was nice to know that only CPs got the upgrades before me, and that there was a pretty big difference between a CP and a GP. But now we have an entirely new realm of preferreds that will snag even more seats before the GP window opens. Will I ever be able to upgrade a companion under this new scheme as a GP?
--if I ever drop to SP, I'm not sure what the benefit is except a VERY occasional upgrade only for myself and perhaps the bonus mileage.
Basically, it seems that GP is the new SP, and SP is like a bone thrown to those people who are just repeat enough that the airline doesn't want to lose them but aren't good enough customers to warrant much attention.
Luckily I've qualified for CP under the 6689 promo so none of this really matters for me next year, but I'll certainly be watching this board and others' comments on how this dilution of GP really manifests itself. The power ports didn't bother me much, the lack of hot meals really didn't bother me much; but this real reduction in benefits is starting to piss me off.
I was treated really well on AA this year, and I won't forget it.
The most important thing to me--unlimited upgrades 3 days in advance s/a--remains, but it seems like the entire list of other benefits has been reduced:
--my bonus mileage is HALVED from 100 to 50%. That's pretty serious, actually. HALVED.
--I can't get a 20K award, which I use really often in fact. Everything is 25k.
--I also enjoyed cheap Bermuda awards which aren't to be anymore. 30k still isn't bad, but when my bonus mileage is HALVED at the same time the award thresholds are raised, the net effect is a significant loss.
--there will be two tiers ahead of me instead of just one. It was nice to know that only CPs got the upgrades before me, and that there was a pretty big difference between a CP and a GP. But now we have an entirely new realm of preferreds that will snag even more seats before the GP window opens. Will I ever be able to upgrade a companion under this new scheme as a GP?
--if I ever drop to SP, I'm not sure what the benefit is except a VERY occasional upgrade only for myself and perhaps the bonus mileage.
Basically, it seems that GP is the new SP, and SP is like a bone thrown to those people who are just repeat enough that the airline doesn't want to lose them but aren't good enough customers to warrant much attention.
Luckily I've qualified for CP under the 6689 promo so none of this really matters for me next year, but I'll certainly be watching this board and others' comments on how this dilution of GP really manifests itself. The power ports didn't bother me much, the lack of hot meals really didn't bother me much; but this real reduction in benefits is starting to piss me off.
I was treated really well on AA this year, and I won't forget it.
Sep 26, 2005, 6:57 pm
#26
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL, AA 1MM LT GLD, SPG PLAT, National Exec Selc, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Silver
Posts: 8,278
While I don't agree with all the changes and am still really confused about the future of transatlatic upgrades for chairman's, companion upgrades and also mileage upgrade awards - I think one thing Gold's need to remember is that just because there are two tiers above them doesn't mean there will be that much of a change in upgrades. If there are enough seats to upgrade all Golds and CP's now, then there will still be with three tiers. The only time it will make a difference is when CP's, Plats, and only some GP's get upgraded (earlier on the list, higher fare basis - whatever decides it). But then again, that's only fair that a 75K flyer trumps a 50K flyer
Sep 26, 2005, 7:01 pm
#27
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: PHX/SFO/LAX
Programs: AA-EXP (1.7MM), BA-Slvr, HH-Diamond
Posts: 7,784
Originally Posted by jghassell
my bonus mileage is HALVED from 100 to 50%. That's pretty serious, actually. HALVED.
US Plat is a serious ripoff. An AA Plat can fly 25k less miles and still earn more bonus miles than a US Plat.
I was treated really well on AA this year, and I won't forget it.
Sep 26, 2005, 7:06 pm
#28
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: CLT
Programs: US CP, SPG Gold
Posts: 592
I think one thing Gold's need to remember is that just because there are two tiers above them doesn't mean there will be that much of a change in upgrades.
Plus, don't forgett we have all of the HP elites coming in too. So the pool is both bigger and broken up differently.
I do agree 75kers should, in principle, be upgraded more than 50kers. But I like things the way they are.
Sep 26, 2005, 7:09 pm
#30
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: CLT
Programs: US CP, SPG Gold
Posts: 592
Originally Posted by ByrdluvsAWACO
Did you do a Plat challenge?
Say what you will about paying for upgrades, but (a) it thins out the ranks of potential upgraders and (b) there are no surprises with AA's system.